Aberration
by Fezzy
Summary: Yoko is an impeccable college student who has decided to sacrifice her love life in order to really dedicate herself to her studies. Then she met a man who didn't give a damn about her decisions. YokoKamina, SimonNia. AU.
1. Chapter 1

_Aberration -noun departing from the right, normal, or usual course _

AN: Hello and welcome! This is my first time posting here, but don't be alarmed, I'm not trying fanfiction nor writing for the first time.

The idea for this fic came from seeing the S.t.a.r.S music video (found on Youtube) starring Yoko. I found especially the part where Kamina makes his appearance incredibly inspiring. I kept thinking what could happen afterwards - and here we are! My thoughts just wouldn't leave me alone.  
If you have seen the music video, you should notice that I referred to it pretty strongly in the first part.

The story will revolve mainly around Yoko and Kamina, but I will add some SimonNia cuteness later. The category is very much romance, but I tried to write this with a touch of humor. There will hopefully be a little bit of drama in the later parts. Now, onwards!

_Song "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke.  
_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

**Chapter one: A Change Is Gonna Come**

The day started off as ordinary and boring as countless others before it. But then again, change can fly right under your radar. It can come below the wind; you can't sense it, but it's there.

Change. A touch of something new. Something to refresh things both old and familiar. A blank page on top of those you already know so well. Change, right under your nose.

* * *

Thick and humid afternoon air stood still in the little shop on a particularly silent street. It was midsummer, and the weather was blistering hot, making the insides of the shop almost unbearable.

On the shop's roof stood a sign, telling that the shop belonged to a widely spread chain of little stores just like this one. Just by that, people would know that in they would find some basic groceries, a large supply of magazines as well as snacks and sweets and things like that.

All in all, it was your regular kiosk type of shop open almost around the clock, seven days a week.

Inside sat the lone employee of the day, unfortunately sentenced to the day shift when the heat made working rather unpleasant. Even the ceiling fan had broken down a few days ago, so the airflow inside was close to nil.

Yoko fanned herself with a bored sort of look on her face. Well, "bored" was an understatement. She was feeling apathetic. The store was empty as business had been exceptionally slow today, and she could count her customers with her fingers only. Just some older people who spent nearly half an hour pondering what kind of candy to buy for their grandchildren, a few boys whose ages varied from twelve to fourteen, sneaking glances at the X-rated magazines on the top shelf, when they thought the clerk, Yoko, wasn't looking. Then little girls buying ice cream… well, that had cheered Yoko up for a little while.

She liked children – and that was the reason for her working in this little place that the employees liked to call "The Shack", mainly because of the condition of the back rooms.  
Yoko was working her way through college where she studied to become an elementary school teacher. She liked school; she felt she was in the right place doing the right thing for her – but combining her studies, work _and_ personal life was proving to be difficult, nearly impossible. But, she had mused, what was her rush? She could put her sole focus on studying and working, get out of college sooner that way and then, then she would have all the time in the world for family, for friends, even boyfriends…

Yes. She was satisfied with that decision. What would she profit from a likely messy love life? It would just interrupt her studies and make her life that much harder.  
So here she was, sitting behind the counter, reading one of the older magazines, just flipping through countless articles concerning celebrities, what they were doing, who were they with, who had they broken up with and so on and so forth…

Yoko found herself absolutely, utterly bored. And her uniform was ridiculously hot…. not in an attractive way, just plain suffocating.

It was summer break so she didn't have to worry about homework or tests. That was good… in a way. No school meant also more free time, and where the majority of her fellow students were thrilled with this, it gave Yoko a headache. Because of her decision to keep personal stuff to a minimum, she hadn't made a lot of friends on campus, and the friends she had in her home village… well, they hadn't seen since she left after high school, except for a quick exchange of hellos when she went to visit her parents.

Alas, excess free time was a pain. And to avoid loitering in her little flat without anything to do, Yoko opted to work every shift she could get. She would even cover for her only co-worker when he had some sort of emergency and couldn't come to work. This was happening more and more often these last weeks, noted Yoko. Well, nothing to complain about, it was fine with her. Sitting here was definitely better than sitting in that old, cramped apartment.

Yoko tried to focus on the article she was reading. The woman in the pictures, some sort of model she didn't know by name, had that same shade of flaming red in her hair as she did, and maybe they would even look alike from a distance -

"You in this picture?" A large, tanned hand appeared dead center on the page, covering most of the text. Surprised, Yoko looked up.

It was a man. Well, not that big of a surprise. He was pretty tall, casting a shadow all over the counter. Yoko couldn't see his face that clearly, because of the light coming from behind him.

"… No." Yoko said slowly, still a little too shaken to snap back into her role of a perky little employee, ready to serve and answer any questions that should arise.

The man peered at the picture for a while longer before straightening up and taking his hand off the counter. "And here I thought you'd be a celebrity, " he said, smiling from ear to ear.

Yoko cleared her throat. This wasn't the usual behavior of a customer, but she gave a polite smile nevertheless.

"Not me. I'm just an ordinary clerk here, not some undercover supermodel… by the way, can I help you?" She smoothed a few wrinkles on the top of her uniform, all professional now. Even though it was a stupid, boring job in a work environment that surely wasn't up to standards, she wanted to do it well.

"I guess so," the man remarked, referring to the thing about supermodels, still smiling, "but you could as hell pass for one." He gave the things he wanted to purchase to Yoko, who answered his compliment only with a shrug and a light chuckle.

She was used to getting attention from the opposite sex. She was a nice looking girl, nothing wrong with knowing it. She had it, but didn't flaunt it. Yes, it felt good to make heads turn and keep getting looked at – but at the end of the day, they were still just looks. That would've been good enough in what, high school? When everything was just superficial and shiny? Yoko had learned a long time ago, that she wanted someone who could be more than just another man drooling at her.

As she handled his things – a magazine, chocolate bar and a stick of gum – she took a closer look at her customer. He seemed kind of intrusive and could have the potential to be very irritating, if it weren't for the sincerely friendly smile on his face.

Just like she had noticed before, he was tall and with a muscular build that spoke of an athletic way of life. His face had matured features so Yoko estimated him to be a few years older than her. Light blue, spiky strands of hair covered parts of his face. After this quick evaluation, Yoko had come to the conclusion that he was relatively handsome, but the smile that lighted up his face and made him actually quite attractive. But that was just the way Yoko analyzed customers to her own amusement, nothing more. Nothing personal there.

Soon she was done and read the total amount to him. The man hadn't said anything after that, and now he fished a few bills from his wallet and handed them to her.

"Keep the change."

After that he left, that same confident smile still on his face. Yoko offered a quick "have a nice day!" to his retreating back. For some reason, she had this inkling feeling that the man was feeling pleased with himself. She shrugged the thought off, ready to slip back into that state where her mind was far from The Shack.

She sorted the bills into the register, noticing that in her hand was something that shouldn't be there.

It was a small note, folded so she couldn't see what was inside. She frowned and glanced at the door. Great. Maybe the note contained some valuable information that he had had to scribble down, and now he had forgotten it… Well, she couldn't leave her post and go after him, now could she? He was probably far away by now.

Sighing, she put the note away and propped her elbow on the counter, leaning her jaw in her palm. Every now and then she glanced at the note. Minutes crawled by in an agonizingly slow manner and by each second her curiosity towards the little piece of paper grew.

In a blink of an eye her hand moved over the counter and snatched the note. Feeling like a criminal she opened it, her eyes widening not so much in surprise, but in amusement. She even knocked herself lightly on the forehead with her fist. _'Of course, ' _she thought.

It was a phone number.

'… _Since when did I lose the ability to realize when a man makes a pass at me?'_

_

* * *

_

I guess this was more of an prologue of sorts than a real chapter. Sorry about that.

Anyways, what do you think of Mr. Mysterious Customer? You might've already guessed his identity. He he he.

Also, I'm no exception to the rule and thus feedback will be greatly appreciated!

_

* * *

  
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	2. Chapter 2

AN: Yay! My first rewiews! People don't exaggerate about those; they really made me very very very happy. I love you already!

I hope I made Kamina some justice in this one. He's almost too great a character to write about.

_He Doesn't Look A Thing Like Jesus from the song "When We Were Young" by The Killers._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

**Chapter two: He Doesn't Look A Thing Like Jesus**

In the end she never called. Of course she didn't. After sitting for a few minutes with the note in her hand she finally smiled to herself, shook her head and threw it in the trashcan, crumbling it.

She didn't feel sorry for the man – not that she didn't appreciate his effort and subtle planning, slipping the note in her hand like that – but with that kind of confidence her refusing probably wasn't that big of a thing. In fact, there was no way getting shot down by her was going to harm an ego like that! Maybe it was better that she chosen not to call him. Maybe it would even teach him a lesson about picking up girls so carelessly, like it was the simplest thing in the world. Not the best way to make a girl feel special, huh?

Soon Yoko forgot about the note and the man – even though he was the type to leave an impression – and concentrated on the few customers that came by. With the day gradually turning into early evening, Yoko finally finished her long day and set for home. No double shift tonight.

Paved streets bathed in the sunset, their usual gray color turning into beautiful reds and oranges and all the hues in between. The air was now at a tolerable temperature, making Yoko enjoy her short walk home. As she knew how limited The Shack's selection of groceries was, she went into a grocery store nearby her flat. Getting a few things for the evening as well as for tomorrow, she stepped back into the fading sunlight. She was in a rather good mood despite her day.

Back at home she took a short shower, fixed herself a quick meal and settled down in her little couch with a good book. It was only then that she remembered the encounter she had had today. Even though she wasn't going to call, it made the corners of her mouth curl slightly upwards. Nothing was going to come of it, but the man had given her something to think about, other than how many days of boredom were left before she could go back to school and her delightfully busy life. Where she didn't have time to think about these things and was fine with it.

Everything in that guy made her suspect that he was used to having success with females. He was confident; maybe even overly so, as well plain charismatic, not to mention this magnetic air about him that lured people in. No wonder if girls were attracted to someone like that, hell, she herself might as well be if she didn't know better. But she did know, and where a dozen other girls would've already picked up the phone, she wasn't going to.

What did the guy even expect? Just because he had been able to get a few girls with a simple smile, a cocky attitude and a bold first move, it didn't mean that it would work on every female thing that walked by. They didn't even know each other; how could he assume that Yoko trusted him, a complete stranger? It wasn't that simple. Not this time.

After musing silently over the ordeal for a few minutes, Yoko decided to forget the whole thing, thinking that it had been over the exact moment the man disappeared trough The Shack's door. Thinking it would be that simple.

But oh, how wrong she was. There was nothing simple about ignoring this particular man's advances.

* * *

A new day began. After her normal morning routines, Yoko was on her way to work. She was still successful in forgetting yesterday, thinking about nothing of special value, just getting ready to bear another shift.

Really now, vacations made her regret her decision about zero personal life. But she was going to suffer through this, just like she had suffered through every vacation before.

She arrived at The Shack, checked the store quickly, only to see that everything was where it should be. After a little while of organizing and changing into her uniform, she was ready to open and soon she was in her familiar position behind the counter. She stared intensely at the door, half convinced that if she stayed focused customers would come. Suddenly she didn't want to let this day slip away. She wanted to make it count.

Finally, business perked up a little. It wasn't much, but definitely livelier than yesterday. Yoko was already feeling better and the fleeting remains of the morning's anxiety slipped away. This wasn't so bad. She could survive this, even if she missed having friends and family around her.

Lunchtime rolled around by noon and luckily the store was empty. Yoko put a sign on the door inclining that she was taking a break and would be back in twenty minutes. She then prepared herself some leftovers from yesterday, picked up another magazine, even humming a little as she enjoyed her break in the backroom.

Then, like lightning from a clear sky, she heard the front door being slammed open. She sighed in irritation. Some people were just so selfish and impatient and it wasn't like there weren't other, bigger stores around…

"Sorry, we're closed right now!" She yelled, getting up and moving the curtain separating the backroom from the store.

"AH! It _is_ you!" A loud voice shouted, almost making Yoko trip in her steps.

'_What the hell…?'_ She felt irritated. What sort of moron had the right to barge in during her precious lunch break, only to spout nonsense? She, on the other hand, had every right to royally kick him out… She turned to face the intruder. Her face went blank.

Opposite her was the man from yesterday, pointing at her furiously and looking outright shocked.

"You weren't abducted by aliens or diagnosed with a deadly disease at all! What does this mean, woman?!"

Yoko was dumbfounded. This didn't make any sense… or to put it clearly, the man wasn't making any sense. The situation felt even more surreal compared to the man's behavior yesterday. Yoko liked to think that she was pretty adept at reading people, but she hadn't detected any signs of mental illness with him. Oh well, this was the final proof that she had been right not to call him. She steeled herself and asked calmly,

"What are you talking about?"

The man's eyebrows slid together and his forehead wrinkled as he leaned forward and peered sharply at Yoko. "Maybe you're suffering from amnesia. Short term memory loss." He then nodded. "That must be right, no one ignores the advances of a true man that easily…" His words trailed off and he nodded again.

Yoko sighed deeply and put her hands on her hips, staring at the man.

"Look mister," she stated sternly, "either you explain yourself a little more clearly or I'll have to ask you to leave. We're closed right now." There. That should do it – that was if the words would sink into his seemingly thick head.

They stared at each other until the man let his hand drop, and instead pointed at himself. "You remember me? You're not some suspicious clone of the redhead that was here yesterday?"

"Of course not."

At her words, the man's expression turned serious and intense, like he was about to give her a lecture.

"Woman, you're at least supposed to acknowledge it when a man puts himself out there! Did you lose the note? A true man will not accept any other explanation. " His words sounded ridiculous but he seemed to be dead serious. Yoko didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or to get angry.

"You've got to be kidding me. You came here for that? To see that I hadn't, what, dropped dead because I didn't call you? Are you seriously suggesting that any other solution didn't come to mind…? Like, for an example, that I wasn't interested?" She didn't especially want to be harsh, but the man's behavior was unbelievable. "Well I'll tell you now and the answer is no. I refuse. I refuse you _and_ your phone number."

"Why?" The man countered without a beat. Without an ounce of uncertainty.

Yoko, on the other hand, couldn't utter a single word; stricken speechless from the astonishment at his response. "Why, you ask…?" Then she took a deep breath.

"First of all, we don't know each other. To be specific, I don't know anything about you." She explained, sounding rather frustrated. And she had every reason to be as other men would've gotten the clue already. _'…I don't know anything aside from the fact that you're insane, that is.'_

"We don't even know each other's names and–"

"Wrong," the man interrupted, "your name is Yoko."

Yoko frowned and glimpsed down where the sign telling her name was pinned to the front of her uniform.  
_'Damn. I forgot about that.' _She sighed again.

"…Fine. I'll give you that. What do you want?" She gave in resignedly.

It was like the sun had come out after a long period of rain. The man's whole being lighted up with an ear-to-ear grin and the shocked and hurt expression vaporized into thin air. "A date."

Yoko insisted the urge to roll her eyes. He was like a little kid who got what he wanted after throwing a tantrum. And his smile was almost too bright to watch. Anyway, this moment was a turning point. She could either tell him no, throw him out and take her chances of him coming back tomorrow, or she could just accept and get back to work.  
And Yoko might've been strong headed, but she wasn't stupid.

"Fine," she muttered. "But just to a movie, all right? No dinner or anything fancy like that. You can pick me up from here." She visibly winced when his smile widened even more. Wow, that should hurt by now.

"Lucky!" The man exclaimed, this time looking openly pleased with himself. "I knew I'd get you to agree. "

'_Where's the luck in that…?' _Yoko thought darkly but didn't say anything. Instead she just shook her head and even smiled a little, even if it was in a defeated way. "I guess you did. But I still don't know anything about you."

He chuckled and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "I'm Kamina. Don't worry about the movie. I'll pick something great. Besides, I have a feeling we'll be just fine. " He winked. If Yoko wasn't feeling so beaten in her own game, she would've thought the wink made him look terribly charming.

Kamina set something down on the counter. "Here's my number. Again. I'll pick you up at eight on Friday?" He took a few steps backwards, still smiling victoriously.

"Right." Yoko picked up the whole sheet of paper, where his number was written in big, bold figures. Kamina waved his hand once, turned around and disappeared through the door. Again.

* * *

AN: Oh no. What has Yoko gotten herself into? You'll just have to wait and see.

Next up is the date (gasp)of doom, and that means a longer chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

AN: All right, thanks again to everyone who read and/or reviewed! I've started another project recently that has been taking a lot of my time, but do not worry, there's still a lot of Aberration on the way! Also, I'm sorry for the lack of characters this far. This will continue for the next chapter, as I wanted to get things really going with Kamina and Yoko.

Okay, I have nothing more to ramble about, so on with this...

_We Could Be Glorious from the song "Glorious" by Muse._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

**Chapter three: We Could Be Glorious**

Yoko stood, as promised, in front of The Shack on Friday night. She was about fifteen minutes early just to be sure, but now she started to have the feeling that Kamina was the type of guy to be late and make it up just with a smile. She didn't want to admit it, but she was a little nervous; mainly not because this was her first date in a long time, but because she was going out with a possible madman.

From behind her, she could sense the curious stares of her co-worker. He wasn't used to seeing her outside from work – or in clothes different than her uniform. Not that he was looking like _that_; Rossiu was this solemn introvert type, didn't speak much but did his work. It seemed that he held little interest towards his colleague. Yoko's knowledge about his personal life was limited; as the only thing she had gotten out of him was that he was working here for the same reasons as her. Yoko wasn't one to pry and so they never had become friends.

She had thought about her outfit for the night very thoroughly; it was important to send the right message. She was wearing tight fitted jeans that hugged her form just right and a black top that was made of this fluttering, light fabric and on top she had a simple, short leather jacket that was of a dark red color. It was a casual combination, but the clothes looked good on her. Her makeup was slightly darker than usual, centering mostly on her eyes, and she had put her long hair in a simple ponytail that suited her well. The message was: I'm looking relaxed and pretty without giving the impression of making a big effort. To emphasize this, she had her glasses on – kept her from appearing too enthusiastic.

Days prevailing the night of the date had passed in a mixture of horror and anticipation. At times she was filled with curiosity as to what this Kamina fellow was really like, but mostly the whole date-thing pained her tremendously. After all, she had been dragged into this situation against her will and she just knew it was going to be something edgy… well, not that she had anything better to do, did she? At least she'd get to see a movie for free.

Yoko hadn't even considered blowing him off, as the result was obvious. He'd probably hunt down her address and come pounding on her door in the middle of the night, demanding answers. Yes. Better to go through with it, suffer quietly, like she was prone to put it. She glanced at her clock and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. He should be here soon.

A few people passed by her and into the store, as well a couple of dog walkers and a lonely runner, but otherwise the street was quiet. Sun had already set behind the tall buildings and the night was darkening rapidly, so she decided to stretch her legs and move into a pool of artificial light coming from the streetlamps. Another look at her watch. Why was she being so antsy? Yoko let out a deep breath, closing her eyes and at that moment she heard footsteps approaching.

"No need to get so worked up, Miss Red." There came a familiar voice filled with amusement. Yoko opened her eyes as Kamina stood with her in their pool of light. His dark red colored eyes quickly went over her form, and even though they didn't reveal his thoughts, he was making Yoko a little self-conscious. She fiddled with the hem of her top, grasping a hold of herself.

"Hmph. I was just thinking about what I'm getting myself into." She retorted. Somehow his laidback arrogance got her on the defensive. Kamina, on the other hand, replied only with a grin, relaxed in a way that wasn't appropriate on a first date. First dates were supposed to be a little uncomfortable, yet exciting, as both participants were still grasping the personalities of another.

"We should get going," he noticed after a moment of silence, "you look nice, by the way." Saying this, he turned and started to walk in the direction of a nearby parking lot.

Yoko hurried after him, eyes wide with surprise and irritation at the same time. _'By the way?!' _It was infuriating, how he could just drop a compliment here and there like it was nothing. He didn't even give Yoko a chance to react… if there was something to react to. When he said it like that, the words praising her looks, the moment supposed to be romantic – they lost all meaning, shrinking into something like everyday small talk. Yoko's hands balled into fists as she set herself in step with his long strides.

"Where are we going?" She asked, tense. Kamina glanced at her.

"I've got a ride." Suddenly, he grasped hold of Yoko's wrist and led her across the street. His hand was warm and his touch firm and Yoko thought for a second that she could feel the blood pulsating through his veins; so vibrant, so alive. And then they were in front of the car and the moment ended, his skin retreated from her skin.

"Ride" was an understatement. It was a screaming red sports car, some highly expensive model with its roof hanging low and the whole vehicle just emanating speed, power and agility. To Yoko, it looked like a large feline predator, ready to pounce on her prey. She heard Kamina laugh at her amazement. She then noticed her jaw had dropped open. "…Is this… yours?" She asked, still half in shock, barely keeping her voice from shaking. She had to tear her eyes from the car.

"Nah," he shook his head, still entertained by Yoko's expression, "borrowed it from a friend. I had a feeling I had some impressing to do."

Now it was Yoko's turn to smile, and nodding she turned her gaze back on her ride-to-be. "That's… you, it really was…" She staggered. "I've never been in a car like this." Her fingers trailed the car's roof and she didn't even notice she was rambling. Kamina's hand appeared on her shoulder. "Get in, then."

He guided a nervously snickering Yoko on the passenger side, opened the door and watched her slide down in her seat. She investigated the insides of the car like a kid at an amusement park. Kamina got down in his own seat shortly, checking his surroundings as well. "Let's hope I know how to drive this. Well, can't be that difficult!" He stated happily, starting the vehicle with a promising growl from the engine. Hearing this, Kamina smirked to himself, but Yoko wasn't looking so content.

"Wait a minute… you haven't driven this before? Ever? Then I'm getting the hell out of her--"

Without warning, the car jumped backwards, jolting into a stop inches before the nose of the next car.

"Kamina!" Yoko cried and grabbed the edges of her seat. Kamina held the steering wheel with a determined grip, grinning widely.

"Like I said. Can't be that difficult. What was that saying about riding a bike…?"

'…_Heavenly Father—oh, screw that, any divine power out there, please take care of the innocent bystanders tonight and lead them to safety, and, if possible, please save me from the horrible fate this man is guiding us at…'_

* * *

The red sports car curved its way elegantly into a vacant spot in the movie theater's parking lot. Needless to say, the car gathered curious looks and lingering, wistful gazes effectively. What an entrance.

Inside, Yoko sighed in disappointment. The ride had been fun, even more than she had dared to expect, even though there were a few moments too thrilling for her liking. She had rolled down her window and clear nighttime air had flooded the car, pulling at her hair, making a wild howling sound. Their speed wasn't anything special because of traffic, but the experience had still made her laugh like a child.

Now her hair was a tousled mess and her makeup was running but she couldn't care less. She felt like someone had charged her up and she was now full of energy. She rolled her window back up and turned to look at Kamina, who had just turned off the engine. Their eyes met and both let out a laugh.

"Fun, right?" Kamina asked, not really anticipating any reply, because the answer was plain visible on Yoko's face. She nodded, wiping the makeup from her cheeks. "Yeah. But how on earth did you convince your friend into lending this to you… Did you not tell him you barely know how to drive one of these?" Her eyebrows arched, sarcastic.

"People usually don't decline my requests," Kamina told her matter-of-factly, "…as you should know." The look on his face was teasing and his eyes held a challenge that she rather not care to answer. She already knew she was the losing side in that argument.

So, instead of coming up with a witty retort, Yoko just looked away and muttered darkly, "Let's just go and get this over with…" She opened her door and exited the car, leaving behind a laughing Kamina.

After locking the car, they set towards the theater's entrance. Kamina had purchased their tickets beforehand, but when asked, he refused to tell Yoko just what they were seeing.

"But what if I've seen it already?" She questioned.

"Not a problem. This movie is meant for re-watching. I've seen it twice." Then he abruptly deserted the topic and pulled her along to get drinks. After a debate of sharing or not sharing their popcorn, they were seated in the theater, watching the commercials roll on. Yoko munched on her – well, their - popcorn with a doomed sort of look on her face. She now was aware of the movie's title: _Fists of Destruction 4: The Apprentice's Revenge._

"Hey! Watch it," Kamina ripped the cardboard bucket from her lap, "if you get fat I'm gonna dump you."  
Yoko glared at him menacingly. She hadn't bothered to criticize his choice of film out loud, but now he was also stealing her comfort food. "I paid for those, " she snapped, taking a protesting, loud sip of her drink. Kamina pretended not to hear her.

"Shh, it's starting."

Yoko said nothing to this, only slumping down in her seat. Great. She had before her about two hours of men smacking each other around. This was probably the worst date movie known to man.

* * *

Half an hour had passed and Yoko had totally given up on following the plot that was constructed mostly of illogical twists and senseless turns, probably to avoid the predictability often seen in this genre. She looked around in the dim theater, realizing that she was just about the only female in the already sparse audience. She fought the urge to groan and turned her attention on her date.

Well, this had been part of the reason why she had agreed on a movie alone. That way she had the opportunity to freely analyze the man who seemed so dead bent on seducing her… or whatever it was he wanted. For a man that open he was hard to read.

He wasn't nervous. He didn't worry about appearances. He didn't care what other people thought about him. He was tremendously – even foolishly – confident in everything he did. He had charisma; not because he was especially funny or clever, not because he had a quick wit or a way with words – but he had this aura, different from anything Yoko had seen before. He was like the sun gathering smaller objects around it; he was like the light attracting the moth. A natural leader, Yoko guessed.

She followed his changing expressions, desperately trying not to smile. Whenever there was a long, manly speech cheering on the almost-beaten protagonist, a sudden fire would light his eyes up and he leaned forward in his seat, forgetting everything around him. To her ears, the dialogue sounded childish, illogical, and to put it bluntly, stupid, but it was clear that it appealed to his feelings. Other parts aroused different reactions like anger or movement. Especially scenes concerning brotherhood or partnership seemed to affect him, making him look like he was somewhere else. Maybe it was something he could relate to.

The movie was already halfway through but Yoko didn't notice this, being so immersed in her thoughts and observations of Kamina. Therefore she wasn't aware of the more romantic sidetracks in the story, and was completely taken by surprise as Kamina suddenly put the moves on her.

Yoko had to stifle a laugh at his smoothness when his arm slid oh-so-accidently over her shoulders. That had probably taken a lot of practice, and she deduced that he had a set of selected, honed moves combined with a good sense for timing that made all the girls melt.  
She pretended that she hadn't been staring all this time, and spared him a glance that she was sure he took notice of. Kamina's face was completely neutral, like he wasn't doing anything. Yoko couldn't help but chuckle softly, earning herself a few condemning glares, as a serious scene was playing on the screen.

Kamina's arm stayed on her shoulders for the rest of the movie but he didn't try anything else. Yoko decided to play along with this game of acting like nothing was going on, and didn't react to his gesture. …Well, maybe she shouldn't be so hard on him, even though the movie was horrible. She leaned a little bit closer and his scent filler her nose, tickling her senses because she couldn't quite decipher if it was his cologne, or just him.

This much was clear: he was an idiot to boot; very interesting one, but an idiot nevertheless.

* * *

Miraculously enough, Yoko lived through the nightmare of a movie and finally, after an incomprehensible and long ending scene the credits started to roll. Yoko hid her yawn in her sleeve and felt the weight of Kamina's arm shift from her shoulders. Weird. She had forgotten about that.

Kamina stretched his hand up in the air and beamed at Yoko. "Great, huh? I swear I heard you sob a few times."

…Actually, that was Yoko masking her groans of desperation. But she nodded her false agreement, not wanting to start a futile argument about the movie's credibility - which was zero, but hey, she wasn't going to say anything. She shrugged her coat back on as Kamina did the same. She took notice of his jacket which was pretty impressive. It had these high collars and on the back was portrayed a logo of some kind that Yoko didn't recognize. Or maybe it was a gang emblem, even though Kamina didn't strike her as the usual gangster type – he was way too good natured for that. Yoko was curious, but didn't ask.

They got out of the theater, both happy to be back in fresh air. It was completely dark now, save for the streetlights. A chilly, northern gust of wind blew over the silent parking lot. The days might've been suffocating hot, but as soon as sun went down, the air started to cool down.

"Are you cold?" Kamina asked, watching Yoko closely. She shook her head and smiled faintly. She knew what was coming and that she had to shoot down his expectations.

"So…" he started, "what now?"

"I agreed only to a movie, remember?" She reminded him gently. No need to be rude or cold; he was probably a nice man. Great even, if you didn't include the "ladies man" side of him, but there was no way this was going to work. "Look, I have to get up early tomorrow. And don't give me that look, I know tomorrow's Saturday, but I have work. So… what if we just get back?" She tilted her head, looking up at him, smile warming up prettily. Maybe she'd get better trough him with this approach.

Kamina ran a hand trough his hair. "Man, you're tough. I thought my manly traits would've won you over already… But I guess I'll drive you back. " He accompanied his words with fake suffering, but soon gave up the act and smiled again, eyes lingering on Yoko's lips. Maybe he was thinking about kissing her, but decided against it. Yoko followed after him to the car. It was better this way. He had made it clear that he was interested in her, but it was best to keep things as clean as possible. Yoko didn't want to string him along.

They hopped into the car and sped from the parking lot a little more gracefully than the first time. As it was getting late now, there were fewer cars around and Kamina got to test the engine out. He seemed very satisfied with the results, and the city flew by, turning into a whirl of lights and colors and velvety darkness. They were back at the store in no time.

"You should lose your license for that, " chided Yoko as they pulled up at The Shack. She was only playful, though, because seriously, what was the fun in getting a car like that if you couldn't use it properly? She ran her hand over the dashboard, a wistful look in her eyes. "I'm gonna miss this."

"Then I need to take you on a ride again, don't I?" Kamina suggested, half joking, half serious. Yoko thought it best not to react. She didn't get out of the car yet, thinking about what would be best closure for a sort-of-date like this.

Kamina turned to look at her with make believe concern. "I seriously hope this doesn't mean that you actually live in there too…" He pointed at The Shack. Yoko slapped his hand away which only made Kamina look at her like she was crazy. "No!" She then motioned towards the darkness outside.

"I live close here, in that direction," she muttered, and after a moment of consideration she added: "Jerk."

"All right, all right, sorry. But you can't blame me for that. It seems to me that you're spending all your time at work…" His eyebrows rose.

"And what's wrong with that? There's a reason I can't afford cars like this."

"Yeah, yeah…" He agreed, but all of a sudden started to grin. Devilish was probably the right way to describe it. "This way I'll always know where to find you, if I start to miss that little uniform of yours." His low voice sounded positively predatory.

Yoko felt her face flush. "I'm getting out of this car." She stated in a black tone and moved to open the door. She practically heard Kamina's grin widen. "Wait. I'll walk you."

Outside, Yoko thought about stomping off on her own, but then Kamina closed his door with a slam and locked the car. She glared at him with her arms crossed on her chest. Kamina, that over-confident bastard, was still smiling. With a huff, Yoko finally gave up and came around the car down to the footpath. Kamina stuffed his hands into his pockets and they started to walk, side by side. It appeared that he wasn't about to make dirty remarks again, so Yoko relaxed and let her arms fall down to her sides.

They fell in an almost-companionable silence; one that wasn't entirely comfortable but not awkward either. They settled with quick glances at each other. Yoko looked up. The sky was covered with a weaving of grey clouds, the moon almost hidden; only casting a lighter hue on the clouds around it. They were nearing her apartment, but Yoko found that she still had one question to ask. She put her hands around her back and hopped a few steps ahead Kamina, then turning to face him, her features in a sort of mixture of slyness and curiosity.

"So, how many are there?" She asked in a light tone.

Kamina scrunched his eyebrows. "What?"

"Come on, you know what I mean. Don't look like someone hit you in the head; it won't fool me." He was indeed looking like he had no clue of what she was talking about. Yoko's voice was still perky, but underneath it laid a warning: there was no way he was getting out of this by playing stupid.

He still said nothing and only kept looking at her questioningly. Stubborn, huh?

"Kamina… just spill it, I won't judge you. I know your type."

"Well, if you know my character so well, why don't you let me in on the big secret?"

Yoko let the pretences of a smile drop. "Are you serious…? Fine, then." She sighed in exasperation. He was going to make her say it. "I was talking about girls. How many others than me? There's no way a guy like you would be dating just one chick at a time. And hey, I get it, why not try out several and pick the ones you like? It's not like it's a crime." She hated that she had to explain herself.

Kamina stopped abruptly, and by accident at the door of her building, too. "I don't get it…" He said slowly.

"Why would I want to date other girls?" He asked finally, and from the shock on his face, Yoko had to believe that he was being sincere. And in that case, his words were pretty startling.

'_But what about his abnormal confidence in picking up women? There's got to be some serious experience behind that!'_

Yoko took a step at him to get a closer look at his face. He looked back, and his features were earnest.

"Well…" She was at a loss for words. She hadn't expected this. "Why wouldn't you…?"

"It's not what I want," Kamina stated simply, and his words were surprisingly sure and firm, like he was certain of himself. "It's not what anybody would want. All people deep down want or need is just the right person for them." He shrugged.

Yoko's eyes widened and her lips parted. Did his words imply that he thought of her possibly being the right person for him…? All words escaped her and she was at the same time very worried, and very flattered. Her eyes held his gaze for a little while longer, until she leaned up on her toes and touched her lips to his cheek. It was just a quick peck, because even though he said some nice things, the movie he chose was still crap; but her eyes twinkled and her smiling lips were soft and even someone like Kamina would lose his footing from something like that.

His eyes followed her as she moved towards the door.

"This is my building," she told him, "thanks for walking me. Later."

He was only capable of nodding. After watching her run up the stairs, Kamina stood there a little while longer. Then a very determined look crossed his face. He had just found something he wanted. And he was going to get it, just as surely and evidently as a comet on its course towards a planet.

* * *

AN: I hope you enjoyed and I wish everybody a great weekend :)


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I can't believe all the compliments I've been getting! Thank you very much! Especially the praise concerning characterization makes me really happy, because it is a thing I worry about a lot. Kamina is one hard to write fellow, but I'm doing my best.  
Also, I've been pretty busy since school began, but hopefully I can keep the updates coming... Okay, back to business: less ramble from me and more fanfiction! Am I right or what?

Enjoy!

_Song "Midnight Show" by The Killers._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

**Chapter four: Midnight Show**

Eight days went by.

Yoko woke up to furious pounding. Her initial thought was that the roof was coming down – or to be more accurate, the floor of the apartment above – and to take cover. But before rolling under her bed, her senses kicked in and more rational thoughts flooded her mind.

She was laying flat on her back. On the floor. Just seconds ago, she had been all comfy and warm in her bed. And what the hell was that noise? She had difficulties to trace the source of the racket or the direction it was coming from. She listened for a little while longer, wide awake. Then, just as suddenly as the pounding had started, it paused… only to begin again after a couple of seconds.

Yoko jumped up with a start. It was coming from her door. Someone was there, someone who was desperate to get in. She immediately abandoned the first option to come to mind. It couldn't be a burglar; otherwise he'd have to be an incredibly stupid criminal and entirely on the wrong career.

She started to navigate across her bedroom and into the small hallway, feeling about her surroundings with her hands. With every step, the pounding got louder.

Realization dawned on her. Oh. Hell. No.

She flipped on the light and bumped the door open.

"Yo, " greeted Kamina.

Yoko shut the door in his face. A muffled "Hey!" could be heard through it.

Yoko leaned her back against the door and stared ahead with empty eyes. Kamina had begun to knock, lightly at first, but then in a more demanding tone. Then she heard ominous clattering from her mailbox.

"Red! Open up, it's me!" Kamina yelled through it.

Yoko snorted loudly in annoyance. "Don't shout. I can hear you just fine…you idiot." Her anger was making it hard to grasp just how surreal the whole situation was. She didn't appreciate being woken in the middle of the night, and it to be in this way – that she didn't appreciate at all.

"What do you want?!" She barked down to the mailbox. Kamina was trying to wiggle his fingers inside, and Yoko resisted the urge to shove the box's lid on him.

"I want to show you something," he told her like it was the most common thing in the world.

"What?" She snapped back, trying desperately to calm down. "I mean… can't it wait? Why did you come here in the first place...? And how the hell did you get in?" She could practically hear Kamina's grin.

"I was in the neighborhood, and then I thought of something so I came to check if you were still awake, and when the door down there was open I decided to invite myself in but it seemed that you were asleep so I had to make some noise…"

Only Kamina could come up with something like that. Yoko was silent for a while. "Like I said, can't it wait at least 'til tomorrow…? It's the middle of the night."

"Precisely! You should probably hurry up. We have a trip to make before I can show the thing." His words made Yoko run a hand across her face. _'He's not getting it at all…'_

Maybe it would be better to reason with him face to face. Yoko opened the door up a fraction, and immediately Kamina's face appeared into her vision. "I'm not letting you in," she muttered. She then realized that she was in her pajamas, a top and her underwear, and was endlessly happy that he was still in the corridor. Sighing, she tried to look as stern as she could in that situation.

"Look. I can't deal with your tricks right now. I'm tired. I was asleep. Why can't we do this later? It can't be that important."

"You'll just have to trust me." Kamina stated simply, not even grinning in his usual way. "I'll wait here for ten minutes. If you come, you come, if you don't… Well, let's say you'd be missing out on something big." His calm voice sounded foreign to Yoko, who had thought that anything concerning Kamina was all fun and games. Supposedly she was wrong and he could be mature, too. She closed the door quietly.

It was this particular change in him that intrigued her. After thinking for a while she went about finding something to put on.

Five minutes later, Kamina heard a noise from behind him and turned to find an apprehensive looking Yoko. His lips rose to form a tilted smile. Yoko's eyes studied his form carefully, until she murmured, "Alright. Let's go."

Kamina nodded and jogged down the stairway with Yoko in tow. Outside she was happy to have brought her hoodie along, pulling the sleeves to cover her fingers. A cold wind swept over them as Kamina took something from the shadow where it had been propped up against the building's wall.

"It's a… bike." Yoko declared, dubious. _A_ bike. Not two. And why couldn't it be a car like last time…?

"Hop on, " urged Kamina.

Yoko inspected the bike skeptically. It was a piece of junk; the paint chipped and the frame spotted with corrosion. "You're serious, aren't you…" she mumbled quietly to herself, and then said aloud: "What happened to that car? Did you trash it on the way home? I hope you didn't hit anybody. "

"With my superior driving skills? Don't mock me." Kamina said quite nonchalantly, without a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He then motioned back to the bike, and Yoko took a few hesitant steps before setting on the carrier above the back wheel. She eyed their current method of transport incredulously, partly expecting it to fall in pieces. Miraculously enough, the bike withstood both their weight and after a wobbly start they took off.

Cold stream of air caught her hair and made her shiver in spite of her hoodie. She hoped the drive wouldn't be long. Not a single being, apart from a stray cat, crossed their way and the only sound was the bike's continuous creaking. The only words being said were quiet curses from Kamina every time a hill came along.

After twenty minutes Yoko noticed that they were going further away from the city, which wasn't a long trip as she lived in the city's outskirts. Buildings shrank in numbers when vegetation grew. Yoko figured that they were heading in the direction of the old railroads.

And sure enough they came to a bridge reaching over the numerous rails that crossed and curled around each other like serpents. The bike squeaked awfully when Kamina hit the brakes and got off. Yoko followed his example, rubbing her sore behind. She looked around. To her right she could see the large shadow of a building looming in the darkness. It was the pit stop and storage for train cars. At least it used to be.

This night just kept on getting stranger. She turned to look at Kamina and scrunched her eyebrows. He was digging around in the bushes before the bridge, his back towards her.

"Here, found it," he called before Yoko could even ask what he was doing, and waved her to come closer. Amidst the shrubs was a small path that by the looks of it was rarely used. It led downhill, all the way to the rails. Kamina went to get the bike. "Hurry up. If we get caught, I'm deserting you."

Yoko's eyes turned into slits as she stared at his back, but decided not to bother with an answer. She knew it to be a lost cause.

She started to descend along the path, choosing her footing carefully. Roots and large rocks on the excuse-of-a-path made it hard to walk, and she hoped not to end up in one of those bushes with menacing thorns sticking out. She felt incredibly stupid, sneaking around in the dark. This would've been remarkably easier in daylight. Now they looked like criminals with no self-respect.

Kamina followed behind her, telling her constantly to hurry up or they'd be here come dawn, right 'til Yoko snapped.

"Why the hell did you want me to come if I'm such a hindrance?!" She stomped around, fuming.

"Take it easy, Red. We're here." His lame reaction only made her mood worsen and his relaxed voice grated on her nerves. Nevertheless she glanced over her shoulder to see that they had indeed made it down. Kamina walked the bike around her and put it against the fence surrounding the railway. He then stopped to eye the obstacle like it was his personal enemy.

Yoko stepped closer. "What now…?"

Her words didn't get an answer as Kamina had made up his mind and simply kicked down the fence. It tumbled down clattering noisily, its constructions weakened with rust and age. Kamina stepped over the wreckage to the other side, turning to see if Yoko was following.

She hesitated for a moment before climbing behind him. Now this was definitely trespassing, if not illegal. The worn out signs on the fence made crossing over prohibited. But, it seemed that Kamina didn't feel like there was a problem; striding confidently over the rails like that. Yoko hurried after him, not feeling comfortable alone amongst the black, shiny rails. With the silhouette of the bridge hanging over them, the whole scene was creating an eerie atmosphere.

Soon they had crossed over and were at the other side. Here was a fence just like the one before, with the exception that it had already collapsed. Kamina pulled her up on the bank, where they gazed at another hill ahead of them, this time more steep and high. The ground was covered with hay reaching up to her thighs and flowers that had closed their petals during nighttime.

"What is this place?" Yoko asked, watching the hay swing in silence.

"Don't know," replied Kamina, "I'm guessing private property." He shrugged, not at all concerned with this.

"In other words… we shouldn't be here." Yoko noted. "So you're a bad boy, huh?"

Kamina smiled, starting the walk upwards. "Let's go." He pulled her along.

Yoko didn't resist, but there was nothing to keep her from complaining. "This is stupid. You're taking me hiking before dawn? And that horrible thing we came here on, seriously…" It really wasn't your ideal second date.

"A little exercise has to be made to prevent your ass from getting fat. If that happens, I'm breaking up with you." He sounded too serious to be joking, but Yoko really wasn't worried about his rudeness. She felt they had something else that needed clearing up.

"Kamina…" she started, looking for the right approach, "you get it that there really isn't anything to break up with? I mean you dragging me around to do crazy stuff… That really doesn't qualify as dating." She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "I don't want to be cold, but this is how it is."

"So, what you're saying is that you haven't thought about me at all since last week?" He didn't sound at all thrown off, just mildly puzzled. He watched as she struggled with her reply.

"Well… no…" Truthfully, she had thought about him a little. Well, not so much as she had thought about his words before they had parted over a week ago. They still made her lose her balance. There were definite warning bells going off in her mind, but on the other hand, him proving not to be some lady-killer had made her feel… well, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. _'Relieved, I guess?'_

"But you didn't call me after that, so I thought there wasn't more to it."

This time, Kamina shot her a dry look. "You didn't give me your number," he reminded before continuing, "and I expected you to make the next move. No good for me to keep trying if you aren't interested, right?"

'…_then why are we here…' _Yoko thought but didn't say anything; it looked like he wasn't finished.

"Then this thing came up and I couldn't wait anymore. But don't worry, I won't try anything - it's just that we came this far, so let's check it out and then we can go. I won't come to your store anymore."

So he could let it go after all? And without sounding bitter or disappointed, either. It was pretty adult of him. Yoko looked at him with widened eyes before nodding. After a pause, she added: "…thanks."

"Yeah." He waved her off. "It's your loss anyway."

Yoko smiled.

The rest of the trip was made in silence. Yoko felt a little more relaxed, but her conscience knocked. _'Stupid conscience.'_ She had nothing to feel guilty about; she had refused him properly, he had taken it rather well - end of story. Maybe she had, deep inside, hoped to keep this strange man around for a little longer…but such silly desires had to be suppressed. She couldn't abide her every whim, now could she? Before she could notice, they had finally reached the top of the hill. A fierce wind burst from behind her; she hadn't realized that they climbed that far. Below could be seen the bridge, the rails, and on the opposite side thousands and thousands of lights were glittering. They were farther from the city than she had originally thought.

And, above them—

"…beautiful," she breathed, her eyes fixated on the night sky, so vast, reaching over them almost endlessly… Countless stars dotted the dark, satin like blue, sparkling almost in an unreal way. It was like a fabric with a unique weaving of jewels all size and color.

Dry hay ruffled when Kamina sat down beside her, looking up as well. "Pretty special, huh? But I guess it's nothing compared to my hometown…" He mused, the later part sounding like he was just thinking aloud. Yoko mimicked him and sat down, eyes still aimed upwards. Pale moonlight rained down on them.

"So you weren't born here?"

"No. I used to live in Jeeha village. What a pathetic place, really." He chuckled with dry realization in his voice. This made Yoko look at him.

"You don't miss it?" she inquired, "I moved here from the country as well, and while the city is definitely better, I still think about home sometimes…"

"Well, the stars were brighter, but that's it. I'm never going back."

"But what about your family? Don't you see them anymore?"

"I don't have any, as far as real family is concerned. I don't remember my mother at all. My old man used to take me with him, to watch the stars, but that's the only memory I have of him. He split when I was a little kid and I haven't seen him since."

His face held and empty look and his eyes were distant.

"People in my village said that he was a good-for-nothing dad, so maybe its better that he left. Anyway, I didn't have any relatives so I was taken into foster care, and tossed around the families in my village. I always knew that there had to be a bigger, better place, so I took Simon and left as soon as I could."

"Simon…? But I thought you didn't have any relatives?"

Kamina's expression changed, softened, into a silent little smile.

"He's a brother of sorts. We're not related by blood, but since we got placed into the same foster family, he's been the only family I ever had, or ever truly needed." He glanced at Yoko, who had a thoughtful expression.

So he could act all sober and grown-up when it came to important things. He probably was a dependable big brother.

"This may sound funny, " she said quietly, "but I'm a little envious of you. I was an only child, and every Christmas I hoped for a little sister or brother…"

"You're crazy," he replied and they both laughed companionably before relapsing back into silence.

Minutes went by, but Yoko found herself entirely content, just sitting here and watching the glistening mosaic over them.

"I'm really happy you brought me here." Her voice was soft, almost like a whisper.

"Yeah," he repeated simply, losing all pretences.

Their eyes met. Yoko moved by instinct, closing the distance between them and bringing their lips together. Kamina seemed bewildered at first, but then dived into the kiss willingly. His mouth moved against hers in the most wonderful way. The sensation made her mind fill with sudden, striking feelings so strong they almost scared her, but still she inched closer to him and leaned even further.

Kamina was the first to retreat, and Yoko's eyes opened slowly. Apart from that, their eye contact hadn't been broken for a second.

"What…" He was, for once, at loss for words.

Yoko blinked, but then their eyes were locked again. "I don't know. But I liked it." Her hand moved on its own, touching his hair, and her lips grazed his again. She couldn't stop it. _'…wait a moment now, why did I say that so easily…'_

Kamina let go of his surprise and lay on his back in the grass, pulling Yoko next to him. His arm only settled under her head, but otherwise he just let her be, guessing, quite correctly, that she had a lot of thinking to do. Right now her words were in direct contradiction with her actions.

The spell, or whatever it was, was gradually wearing off her and she was feeling a little more in hold of herself. She wasn't sure what had just happened. The kissing, of course, was clearly in mind but just _why_ she had done it – that was unclear.

Maybe his words had changed how she viewed him. No longer was he just some random guy playing around, but a man who not only was respectable, but actually earned that respect; someone trustworthy and mature perhaps even beyond his years. Speaking about his past there was not a trace of remorse on his face, like he had been able to let go of those certainly difficult things. This Yoko appreciated the most. Not bearing a grudge, moving forward, thinking of what was important.

Then her own feelings; she could now see him as someone to be interested about, but there was more to that. She didn't kiss men just because she thought she could potentially like them, so that was certain. Physical attraction. Memory of his lips lingered on her mind. That and his good qualities suddenly revealed to her, making something inside her stir.

Would it be so bad to let romance mix with her, only for the vacation? It could be fun, it could be bad, but it would be something to shake her from her stupor. What was more, that romance seemed dead bent on invading her life. All she had to do was stop resisting.

On the way home, she let Kamina's fingers close around her hand. His hand was warm and big and made her forget about the cold wind biting their cheeks, for now her skin emanated only heat caused by his touch.

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I'm not dead. Stuff going on. Currently it's the darkest time of the year - productivity is low. Developed a serious addiction in Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Greatest. Anime. Ever). But I'm still alive, and here is the next chapter. Quality is bordering on crappy, apologies for that...

As always, buttloads of gratitude for every reader out there and some special virtual hugs to those of you who reviewed!

_"Kickstart My Heart" from the song "Kickstart my Heart" by Mötley Crüe.  
_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

**Chapter five: Kickstart My Heart!**

Yoko found that she couldn't evade the inevitable, just like she couldn't stop a storm from building up.

She had stopped resisting.

Right now, she was riding on the train towards the centre of Teppelin City. Scenes swirled by in the window, gradually turning into more urban settings with taller buildings and structures constructed tightly together. She couldn't quite bring herself to really acknowledge this, as a few butterflies kept poking around her insides. She was quite pleasantly nervous and was actually anticipating the day before her.

They had met for a few times this last week, first for a coffee and then a few days later to the beach after Yoko's shift. The time of day for the beach-date was so late it meant a bikini-clad Yoko wouldn't make an appearance - regardless of Kamina's valiant pleas.

Today, they were supposed to meet at the railway station, but after that no further arrangements had been made. _We'll figure it out_, Kamina had said. Yoko could already tell it was like him, that kind of vagueness when it came to planning stuff; he was more of the type to make it up as he went. He didn't want restrictions; he wanted to do whatever he felt like.

At first Yoko thought his laidback attitude would cause problems, but she had come to discover that it didn't really matter where they went or what they did. After she had let go of her reservations against him, she had begun to enjoy his company. He wasn't her usual type as he was reckless, loud and had this tendency to make a commotion wherever he went – but he was also kind, friendly and very easy to get along with, if she accepted to oversee a few of his eccentrics. He had this strange ability to make her relax and act naturally around him like they had known each other for years. They joked, talked, debated and teased each other.

Still, there was something that separated them from being simply friends. Kamina had a way to make her irritated and really get under her skin to the point where she wanted to smack him – but a second later he could say or do something, almost anything, and Yoko would melt before him. Maybe it was something people called chemistry; how they could spark a reaction in each other from the fuel that was their personalities.

This made her think about her previous love affairs. Had she behaved similarly before, had she ever dated a man whose nature clashed so violently with hers, yet felt so compatible? …No, she didn't want to sound like that. She had to remain calm and keep a little part of her distanced and tightly shut, no matter how swept away she felt. She had promised herself to keep things on a casual level or otherwise they were headed for a disaster. But no matter how she tried, she couldn't help but compare her old boyfriends with this Kamina fellow.

A faint smile came to her face as she went down memory lane. She had had her share of love interests. First her high school sweetheart which lasted for almost all four years, but ended more or less alongside school. She liked to think they had graduated from each other, and thus separated as friends. Then for a little while there was no-one special, until that fling she had with an older man, which was kept strictly in the dark. Things ended ugly and in a way she didn't care to remember. As she looked back, she knew now that she shouldn't have gotten involved with him; she had been nothing more than a brat who thought she was all grown up, and when the man stopped seeing her, she couldn't handle it. She resorted to childish scheming, sent him malignant letters and harassed him by showing up in his neighborhood. It seemed crazy, but she remembered how hurt she had been upon realizing she had been used. But, it was partially her own fault for being so naïve and refusing to see what was obvious. At least she had learned a lot from that.  
Next was more of a serious relationship, but they couldn't survive the distance when she moved to Teppelin City. They didn't want to give up because both felt like they could have a future, and tried desperately to make their relationship work, but in the end they decided to let it go for now. Maybe someday, they had said, maybe at a better time.

That was a few years ago. Aside from a few phone calls on special occasions they hadn't kept in touch. She had recently learned from a mutual friend that he had a new girlfriend and planned on getting engaged. The only thing Yoko felt was happiness on his behalf.

Finally the train lurched into a final stop and shook Yoko from her reverie. She got up and smiled inwardly. It seemed that, despite herself, she had missed those butterflies circling in her abdomen.

* * *

Yoko was making her way through the busy station, dodging around in the big crowd, towards the main entrance. It wasn't exactly rush hour, but the station was always bustling with passengers. Now maneuvering amongst the people was in fact manageable, but during the busiest time of day you just had to go where the crowd pushed you.

Yoko remembered that getting used to these crowds had been difficult, but eventually she had learned how to move trough them when people jammed her way.

Teppelin City was a fairly large city, its population nearly reaching one million, but the majority of the people were scattered on the outskirts of the city and in the suburbs. The city had maintained its old-fashioned look so it didn't resemble a typical modern metropolitan. This could be seen especially in the city's heart, the centre, where buildings were the oldest and lowest. Only in the outer parts of the city apartment buildings and skyscrapers started to rise, and in fact, the farther you went from the centre, the newer were the buildings, the scenery more modern.

Teppelin probably wasn't designed in the smartest way, as the center was far too small and crowded for a city that size, but it held a certain charm. "The Spiral City", that was the famous nickname of Teppelin. It wasn't based on nothing: the whole centre was covered in spiral ornaments, some plainly seen on surfaces, some hidden cleverly in the city's architecture. Even now Yoko noticed spiral shapes carved into the stone pillars supporting the railway station's ceiling. She thought it was pretty how the same theme spread over the whole centre area and made Teppelin original.

Her steps rushed forwards when the wide, spiral decorated glass doors came into sight. Her head turned in every direction and eyes scanned quickly over the many heads around her, not spotting that familiar light blue hue. He hadn't forgotten, had he…?

Yoko decided to check outside as well and headed for the exit. After a firm push on the heavy door all the city's noises hit her in the face. The large paved area in front of her was swarming with men and women passing by, going trough and waiting for others.

Suddenly her eyes detected a tall figure a few dozen meters away. He was talking to a group of girls, his back to her. Yoko was surprised to feel a restrained pang of jealousy when he laughed and one of the girls poked his chest in an all too familiar way.

She started towards them in long strides, her arms glued to her sides.

"Sorry I'm late," she called despite being right on time. All four of them turned around, the girls bewildered and uncertain, but Kamina just grinned in his usual way. He reached forward immediately and yanked Yoko to his side, even daring to pat her behind. Yoko recoiled by elbowing him in the ribs without a second's delay.

She realized only now that the three girls' surprise had changed into amusement. She also saw that the oldest of them, the one poking Kamina, was very, _very_ pregnant.

"So you're the new girl," laughed the blonde woman.

Yoko smiled sheepishly, kind of embarrassed about attacking Kamina like that – it really wasn't ladylike, refined behavior. "Nice to meet you, I'm Yoko." She then turned to look questioningly at Kamina. He scratched the back of his head and waved at the three girls.

"Red, meet Kiyoh, Kinon and Kiyal. We go way back."

Kiyoh smiled, Kinon nodded politely and Kiyal waved and revealed a toothy grin.

"We just arrived from Jeeha and ran into him," explained Kiyoh, "it's so nice to see you both as this is probably the last trip I'll be making in a while." She patted her large, round belly.

"Are you staying long?" Yoko asked, trying not to get distracted when Kamina's hand settled on her waist, tugging her a little closer. Some remote part of her mind felt pleased, because she still didn't know what kind of relationship these girls had with Kamina. They knew each other from home, but no one had specified just how closely they were acquainted. Could one of them be his old girlfriend…? Kinon and Kiyal seemed a bit young, but how did she know what kind of girls Kamina had preferred before her? Her eyes glided over to Kiyoh, who answered at the same time, unaware of Yoko's studious looks.

"Yes, for a few days. We're staying with our older brother who lives here."

So, they were indeed sisters and had similar names for a reason. They didn't look much alike; each had a different hair color and facial features held little resemblance.

"Speaking of him," Kamina butted in, "how is the old nuisance?"

Kiyoh chided him playfully. "You shouldn't talk about Brother like that. Besides, you live in the same city, you should know how he is."

"This town is too small for us both." Kamina remarked darkly, making the three sisters laugh like it was a common joke. "Is he coming to pick you up?"

"Not yet. We we're planning on getting something to eat before, but how about we all go grab some lunch…? This one seems to think that way too." Kiyoh smoothed a hand down her stomach, looked down and smiled in a way that almost made her glow. Her sisters nodded furiously, eyes glued on Kamina's face.

He glanced at Yoko. She felt a touch of disappointment at not being alone with him, but there was no way they could refuse. She smiled and nodded her agreement, "Kamina, you should carry their bags."

* * *

They found a small café near the station. Nobody wanted to make Kiyoh walk lengthy distances and so the decision to stay was easily made. Inside they settled down in a booth that could seat them all; Yoko and Kamina on one side of the table, and the sisters squeezed across from them. Yoko felt bad for them and especially for Kiyoh who looked a little uncomfortable. She couldn't help them though – Kamina had insisted on this sitting arrangement.

They opened their menus and after a few minutes of contemplating in deep silence they placed their orders. Kiyal told stories about Jeeha in a lively and rather detailed manner, all the while gesturing wildly with her hands. The longer she spoke, the deeper she got absorbed in her story that had derailed a long time ago. She was energetic, loud and vivid, where the sister sitting next to her, Kinon, was more of a quiet and well mannered type. She seemed to be a little alarmed when her little sister continued rambling and glanced at Yoko, who smiled in response.

They weren't different in looks only, but in nature as well.

After chatting for several minutes Kamina excused himself and headed for the toilet, leaving the girls alone. Yoko noticed that she was suddenly nervous, being under these three pairs of eyes watching her intently. They all seemed nice, but they were curious. It was probably natural, she thought as silence took over the table.

"So… you're the new girl," Kiyoh said, leaning back in her seat. "Simon told us Kamina's been totally engrossed with you. Tell me, what kind of spell did you cast on him?"

Yoko didn't notice the younger sisters setting their elbows on the table and reaching over in anticipation.

"Simon? You know him as well?"

"Of course we do! After all, you don't get one without the other." Kiyal stated in between, succeeding only in making Yoko more confused. Kinon shot a look at her sister and explained on her behalf, "We were all friends in high school. I take it you haven't met Simon yet?"

"No… It's all still very new." Actually, she thought it was too early to be introduced to friends either, but it couldn't be helped. Suddenly she felt the stares on her grow piercing. She shifted unconsciously and looked at the girls before her, tilting her head a little.

"You didn't answer our question." Kiyal blurted.

Yoko's eyebrows rose. "About what…?"

"Why… why he's so crazy about you?" Yoko was a little surprised to hear Kinon hesitate and struggle with words. The brown haired girl looked like she was about to fall from her seat.

Her cheeks colored and her eyes fell down to her lap as she pondered what would be the right answer, "I'm sure you're mistaken. There's nothing special about me, were just dating and… and, frankly, why do you ask?" Her eyes jumped back up when she heard Kiyoh laugh sweetly.

"Because it's highly relevant to our interests. I must confess that I had a bit of a crush on him in high school. Well, all of us did. But it never really went anywhere; it was like he didn't see us at all. Don't get me wrong, he liked girls, it was just that he had more important things to worry about. Simon always came in first and he was working through high school, so he wouldn't even have the time to date…"

Her eyes were focused on the ceiling. "I got over my feelings when I realized it was hopeless… But who would've thought that after all this time I would still be curious? I guess humans are like that." She smiled warmly with nostalgia in her eyes. Kinon and Kiyal sighed simultaneously.

"He's so cool, isn't he…" Kiyal muttered.

Yoko stared at them but said nothing. Her thoughts, on the other hand, were very loud. She had learned that these girls were interested in Kamina, but that didn't matter. It was obvious that there were no real feelings left. But her original assessment about Kamina reeked… he wasn't a womanizer. He never had been. He had had three, no, maybe even many more beautiful girls buzzing around him but he didn't even care. His behavior didn't spring from collecting girls like they were cattle – it was his genuine person.

"I see," She said quietly.

She now had what these girls once had wanted, but still, on some level, she was jealous of them. She was eager to hear more about the past him… no, that wasn't quite it. She wished she had known him in high school, she wished she had been there to see what that young Kamina was like. How he had become the Kamina of today.

A smile touched her features, "Kamina who didn't care for girls? That's something I'd like to see."

"Maybe you can!" Kiyoh stated, looking like she had thought of something. She started to rummage through her purse, fishing out her wallet. "I'm sure I have it here somewhere…"

Kinon and Kiyal looked curious as well and the four girls' heads nearly bumped together when they leaned closer each other.

"Here it is!" Kiyoh squealed and took out a small, wrinkled and worn out photo. She handed it to Yoko, who peered at the small figures curiously. And sure enough she could make out Kamina who was grinning in his usual way, his arm thrown around a younger boy. Around them were the three sisters and others whose faces Yoko didn't know. They were all young and full of spirit, that much was seen, even though the photo was in bad condition.

She gave the photo back just as their plates were brought. "Your high school looked like fun."

The sisters gazed at the item wistfully. It was surely bringing back many memories. "Yeah, it was."

They fell into a silence full of thought and memories.

"I'm starving." Familiar footsteps approached and Kamina dropped down besides Yoko.

He felt her eyes on him. She had an odd look on her face, something he couldn't quite read. It wasn't anything bad, though. "What…?"

Yoko shook her head and focused on her food. "No. It's nothing." She couldn't help but smile to herself when he watched her silently for a while longer before letting it go. There was dangerous warmth developing inside her and no way to put it out.

* * *

Lunch was quickly eaten, and afterwards only the scraping of forks and knives against plates was heard. Pleased looks floated across faces and hands rubbed now full stomachs as satisfied sighs filled the air.

Kamina's arm was once again on Yoko's shoulders, but she kept her hands modestly to her lap. She felt the sisters were watching them too closely. She tried to look anywhere else but at their overly interested faces.

"Kiyoh, Kinon, Kiyal. I think it's about time for me and Red to split." Kamina said naturally, like it was completely fine to just desert them here. Yoko looked at him disapprovingly.

"What are you talking about? We can't leave them here, they're visiting!"

Kiyal and Kinon nodded furiously. "That's right! Kamina, you have to protect us until Brother gets here...!"

"What?" protested Kamina, "how's it my responsibility?"

"So you'd leave a pregnant woman and two defenseless girls in a foreign city?! Is that it?!"  
"Wait, that's not- "  
"Someone has to carry our bags!"

"All right, all right!" Kiyoh's raised voice demanded surprising authority. But her eyes looked sly and amused as they fixated on Yoko. "We'll stay here for dessert and I'll phone Brother. After all, we're the ones who crashed on your date. But, whatever you do, stay safe or Yoko will end up like me…" She winked at the pair across from her.

"No! Sis! I don't want to think about that!" Kiyal screamed and Kinon focused on the table's coffee stain.

This resulted in a massive fuss lasting for several minutes until Kamina and Yoko paid for their meals, bid goodbye and were out of the door. As promised, the sisters ordered dessert, and in Kiyoh's case, herbal tea.

She watched the liquid swirl in its cup. It would be terribly interesting where this story of Kamina and Yoko would lead. _'I'm nothing but a bored pregnant woman after all…'_ she chuckled in her thoughts.

* * *

Kamina and Yoko were back in the outside air and turned around to peer inside the café for one last time. From inside, they saw frantic waving coming from the three sister's table. Yoko laughed and waved back, then turning her eyes to Kamina. He had his hands in his pockets and was watching her quietly.

"They seemed nice, but don't you get along with their brother?" she asked, recalling his earlier words concerning the sibling she had yet to meet. She didn't know if they were merely playful, or was there real dislike behind the name calling.

Kamina shook his head. "We get along fine. The man's a pompous ass, that's all." He answered, and Yoko could hide her amusement only so much.

'_Isn't that what people usually think about you? In that case this city is not too small for you two, but only for your egos.' _ She didn't voice her thoughts as just the look on her face was enough to tick Kamina off. She wouldn't even acknowledge his demands to know what was so funny.

"…let's talk about something else," muttered Kamina finally. It was the first time Yoko saw a sullen look come across his face. She grinned and reached up to pinch his cheek. He snatched her palm with one hand and pretended to be rubbing his cheek with the other, before his fingers surged forward and pinched Yoko's side.

"Hey!" She cried, not able to dodge him.

"You earned that," Kamina commented and received many pinches and squeezes in retaliation.

Then their squabble got interrupted before it could really start, as the first big and heavy raindrops hit the pavement. Both looked up and were surprised to find the whole sky overcast with clouds of an ominous dark gray color. Soon they'd get soaked.

Yoko didn't want to let go the last fleeting trails of childishness, she didn't want to recover from her giggly stupor caused by their little skirmish, she didn't want the warmth to leave her cheeks. She was like a teenager, laughing and blushing, but she felt spontaneous and alive just because of it.

So she took his hand and broke into a run as the rain escalated around them. Moistness permeated her light blouse and sank to her skin and she only ran faster, making people step to the sides to evade them. Her hair started to get wet but still her steps echoed on the streets, splashing loudly across forming puddles. She sprinted mindlessly in whatever direction felt best and turned her head around to spot some shelter.

Kamina didn't try to stop her or slow her down to ask questions, not even once. He just squeezed her hand in his and followed her fast steps.

"There!" She heard his voice trough the rain that poured down on them, now with full force. His hand pointed across the street, and now she saw as well a canopy in front of a hotel's doors. They rushed forward and were on the other side in a few seconds, diving under the canopy and into shelter.

Butterflies of uncontrollable laughs burst from Yoko's chest as she slowed down and tumbled against Kamina's chest. He was laughing too, his hair hanging wet on his face and clothes sticking to his skin. The sight made her feel all light and careless inside. She pushed moist strands away from her face to get a better look at his eyes and his hands went to her waist.

She didn't know anymore if her quick pulse was caused by running or if laughing had resulted in such labored breathing, or was their proximity doing funny things to her. She saw the red flecks in his orbs and then her arms sneaked around his neck, fingers into his hair and his lips covered hers. Their noses bumped together and a small laugh escaped her, quickly followed by a deep grunt from Kamina as he held her tighter, pulling her whole body against him. She pressed even closer when his fingers started to stroke her spine, traveling down to the small of her back and then back up.

Yoko smiled against his mouth and her teeth nibbled on his bottom lip teasingly, but then his tongue brushed across her lips. She forgot everything. She was only capable of turning her head slightly for better access and her lips parted on their own, letting his tongue to slip into her mouth. Almost violent shivers went up her spine as his tongue continued to explore, slowly rotating against her own –

"Excuse me, you can't... do that here."

Their heads bolted apart at the interrupting voice. Behind them the hotel's doorman was looking kind of embarrassed. Yoko immediately blushed bright red and felt mortified, but Kamina made no effort to hide the annoyance on his face. He then noticed the looks passerby's were giving them and especially the looks of the hotel's patrons who tried to get trough.

All of his protests died down and he merely stepped back into the rain, pulling Yoko with him.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

Then they went right back to what they'd been doing.


End file.
